Inverted Hourglass
by iyris
Summary: Fuji called but he did not turn back, he kept on walking away from him. Little did he know, though, that it would be the last time he would hear Fuji calling him because the moment he finally looked back, Fuji was gone.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Inverted Hourglass

**Author**: iyris

**Fandom**: Prince of Tennis

**Pairing**: Fuji Syuusuke/Echizen Ryoma

**Rating**: PG**  
><strong>

**Disclaimer**: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. Several parts of plot also not mine.

**Synopsis: **Fuji called but he did not turn back, he kept on walking away from him. Little did he know, though, that it would be the last time he would hear Fuji calling him because the moment he finally looked back, Fuji was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Inverted Hourglass<strong>

**Chapter 01**

"Echizen." Tezuka tapped the younger boy's shoulder gently and…hesitantly. He must be afraid that a light touch would easily shatter the boy in front of him because now, Echizen was like a fragile glass standing on an edge that would quickly fall and break into hundred pieces once touched in a wrong way.

"I'm alright, Buchou," Ryoma replied, his golden eyes were blank and unmoving. "You can go ahead."

Tezuka turned to his friends, giving a small nod and with that, everyone started to walk away from the young prodigy. Maybe, this was the right time to leave him by himself. They glanced at his figure for the last time, worries clearly painted on their faces.

"Damn that Fuji, how could he leave Echizen alone?" Atobe whimpered.

"Keigo!" Tezuka exclaimed in a stern voice. Though he could sympathize with his lover's feelings, he could not tolerate Atobe saying ill of his friend. Especially when it was not Fuji's fault at all to suddenly leave.

"S-sorry, just that I can't bear to see Echizen like that."

Tezuka softened. "I know. I, too, don't want to see him like that. Let's just hope that he would heal soon."

**invertedhourglass**

Echizen stood still. He must have felt so numb, so numb that he did not even feel when the strong wind blew against his skin, so numb that he did not even notice when the rain has started falling and was getting him wet. He fell onto his knees, still not feeling the pain when they hit the ground. "Why?" His voice was hoarse and it was so low that I barely heard him. A tear, almost invisible as it got mixed with the rain, dropped.

"Syuusuke, WHY?" he shouted as he looked up into the dark sky. It was the first time that I saw him really cried his heart out. For his whole life, I was watching him along with the others and never had he shown such emotion. I was kind of surprised. I never thought that such cocky and blunt brat would be so fragile just because of a sadistic man.

But I can't blame him. Like I have said, I was watching them the whole time and I witnessed their every moment. Their first meeting in Seigaku, their first game, Fuji's confession and his persistent bugging just to make Ryoma submit to him, their first fight, their first date, their first night together. I witnessed them all, all of their memories that I myself felt the pain when the tensai left Ryoma. If it was possible, I would interfere and stop _it_ from happening.

"I'm asking you Syuusuke, why?" He faced the cold marble stone. His eyes were angry, pained, longing. Mixed emotions that it was hard to distinguish what he was really feeling.

"S-sorry, Ryoma," another cry. Of course Fuji had not really left yet. He couldn't leave his love, could he? He was kneeling too, beside Ryoma, trying to hug the boy though he knew he really couldn't. He himself couldn't even feel his own existence, his own body. He couldn't even materialize to let his boyfriend feel that he was just there comforting him.

"I could not live like this." His hands held tightly on the stone. He bowed with eyes closed. "Not like this, Syuusuke. Damn it!"

They love each other so much. They were so happy. They were so perfect together. So I also asked, why did it happen? Was it needed? Was there really a need for Fuji's death and to leave Ryoma suffering? For what purpose? Can't they just be left alone and be happy together? It's better that way, right?

"I want to be with you, more than anything else. I don't care what happens anymore, I just want to be with you again." Ryoma sobbed his wish out loud.

Fuji nodded. "I know, Ryoma," he hushed the boy. Obviously, useless. Tears flowed again. "I-I know," he choked.

I couldn't watch anymore. But I couldn't go away either. I need to see the end of it. What a cruel position I was in.

Night arrived, the sky cleared, and they stayed still. Finally, Ryoma stood up. Not saying anything anymore. He walked away, he looked like a living corpse. It was as if his soul left his body. His eyes were dead, emotionless face. Fuji watched worriedly, hurt not leaving his eyes. It was a painful scene. But at the same time, they showed me the unbreakable string between them. And I thought, they deserve a second chance.

"Don't interfere. It is their fate." He was not smiling like usual. His steps were quiet as he approached me.

"_Fate_."

"Calling me by that name, you hated me that much?"

I glared at him. Everything was his fault anyway. If he would be an ordinary guy, living a normal life, I might have liked him. But his role in this world was far greater yet crueler than that. He might appear as an ordinary student with the name Yukimura Seiichi in front of Echizen and the others but in front of me, he's the exact opposite. What part of him was normal actually? He was the reason why Echizen and Fuji met, yet he was the reason why they got to be separated now.

"Instead of blaming me, don't you think it was actually _Death_'s fault?" Yukimura sighed.

"Death is inevitable. Every living being go through that process," I said. But _Death_ was to blame too in this. He was one of the reasons why two people were suffering.

"And Fuji-kun is a living being."

"I know."

"So why are you still mad at me?"

Fuji dying, maybe it was not really a big deal for me. If the question would be 'Who got to see the most death in his/her entire life?' The answer would probably be me. I already existed ever since the world began, whether humans realized my existence or not. And up to now, unfortunately, I continuously exist. So I must be unaffected by such things anymore. But what touched my emotion so much was the pain they were feeling. Imagine, if they had not met, and Fuji died. At least Echizen would not cry because he did not know the person and otherwise. Fuji would not feel any pain because of Ryoma because there was no Echizen that he would be leaving. Got my point? If yes, then good. No? Then just leave it.

"If you had not brought them together, they won't suffer like this."

"Can't be helped. It is my duty." He looked away, a trace of sadness and guilt in his eyes. I know Yukimura is kind. And he was just doing what he was supposed to do but still… "Really, I am sorry."

I looked up to him. Fine. "It is not entirely your fault. You are _Fate_ and what happened to them was already destined. You just carried out what your duty was."

Right, Yukimura is Fate-something with decisive or far-reaching consequences that inevitably happens to somebody or something. Fuji meeting Echizen and them falling in love and being pulled apart were all part of their fates. Such fates were given to Yukimura aka Fate to execute from above.

"So what are you planning now?" Death appeared. Dark, quiet, frightening. And he was wearing the usual unexpressive face. He was usually with Yukimura. And sometimes he takes the name Sanada and goes down to the Earth. Reason? I don't know myself. When I asked him before, he just said that he wanted to see the person first before taking his or her life.

Within the four of us, Yukimura is the frequent visitor of Earth. He's the one who usually enjoys what a human life could be. Death would just linger around then suddenly disappear. The next second you know, a life was already taken. While Life and I were just spectators and usually stay behind to watch everything unfolds. Life moves when some couples shared a passionate night together, and I? I sit, I stand, I watch. That's everything, though there are times that I interfere and give a second chance to some I think deserves it. But only few succeeded, actually, there were barely two. Going against Fate was not an easy task after all.

"I'll use it. Only I can control it anyway." I finally decided to temporarily stopped Echizen's time and set it back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title**: Inverted Hourglass

**Author**: iyris

**Fandom**: Prince of Tennis

**Pairing**: Fuji Syuusuke/Echizen Ryoma

**Rating**: PG**  
><strong>

**Disclaimer**: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. Several parts of plot also not mine.

**Synopsis:** Fuji called but he did not turn back, he kept on walking away from him. Little did he know, though, that it would be the last time he would hear Fuji calling him because the moment he finally looked back, Fuji was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Inverted Hourglass<strong>

**Chapter 02**

"Syuusuke!" Ryoma suddenly sat up in the middle of the night, cold sweats covering his entire body. He trembled as he braced his own figure with his own arms. He started to cry again. "Syuu, I'm sorry."

He probably dreamt of that night again. The night when Fuji left him. It was clearly etched on my head, that accident.

Two days before the accident, Echizen and Fuji's relationship were not really in a good state. I hoped then that it would be just like their normal fight and would get together soon but I guess it was really not.

_"Ochibi!" Eiji planned to glomp Ryoma but the younger boy swiftly avoided him and changed to his tennis uniform. "How mean!"_

_Ryoma just glared at him. Eiji felt like shrinking until Fuji arrived. "Fujiko-chan! Ochibi is scary today!"_

_Fuji looked at Ryoma who completely ignored him. "Ryoma."_

_"Stop it, Fuji. Leave me alone," Ryoma said. He pulled his cap down and left Fuji in the Club Room before heading to the courts._

_Everyone inside the club room turned silent. Until Fuji left the room and followed Echizen out._

_"Did they have a fight?" Oishi asked._

_"Looks like it. Echizen was so quiet lately," Momoshiro answered._

_"But it doesn't seem a normal fight to me," said Inui._

_"I already told you Ryoma, there was nothing between Yukimura and I!" Fuji was not the type to give up either. He followed Ryoma as he tried to explain himself._

_Yeah, it was not a normal fight. Especially when Yukimura was involved. He planned this, I knew it. And as to why? Simple, to execute his duty. This fight of Fuji and Echizen was part of their fate and it had something to do of what to come soon._

_Ryoma halted and faced Fuji. Anguished in his eyes. "Nothing? You were kissing so passionately and it was nothing? Are you messing with me? Are you saying that what I saw was just my imagination or I was just hallucinating? Or is this just another of your pranks?"_

_"No Ryoma, look. It is not a prank and I won't deny the kiss either. He was just drunk that night and he suddenly kissed me and that's when—"_

_"When I entered the scene? Oh whatever. You think I'd simply believe it? Don't make fun of me Fuji. I am not an idiot."_

_"Ryoma!"_

_"Enough!" Ryoma glared at Fuji. "Stop following me."_

_Fuji groaned. Ryoma was serious, he knew that. And he had never seen Ryoma so mad at him. He was not sure of what to do. It continued the next day, and until that night. Every regular was into a harsh training that day and so they were dismissed late in the afternoon to the point that the sun was already setting. As quickly as possible, Ryoma changed and left everyone._

_Fuji immediately followed. Echizen had been totally ignoring him for the past days and he would not let this go._

_Feeling that Fuji was behind him, Echizen advanced faster only to reach a stop light on the pedestrian lane. "Damn red light! Why now?"_

_As expected, Fuji stopped beside him. "You hate me that much? To the point that you would even curse the red light?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Ryoma, please listen to me!" Fuji turned Echizen to face him. "What exactly should I do for you to forgive me? Fine, it is my fault. I am sorry. So please."_

_Ryoma just stared into his eyes._

_"Please say something! I would do anything."_

_"How about we break up?" Echizen finally said, his golden eyes piercing through the deep blue ones._

_Fuji's eyes widened. He knew Ryoma was serious but he couldn't properly process that in mind. "Joke?"_

_"No, Fuji-sempai. Maybe we just need some time to be apart for now."_

_"But not this Ryoma."_

_"It's all that I am asking for."_

_"But you're asking for too much," Fuji shook his head._

_The red light was now green, Echizen quietly left Fuji and crossed the road…without looking back…_

_"Ryoma!"_

_"Sorry."_

_Horns were heard with the addition of screeching of wheels against the rough road. The break was strongly pulled…_

_"BAM!"_

_Then it was silent, people started to gather, murmurs and whispers filled the quiet atmosphere. Everything was painful to his ears. Slowly, and unsure, he turned and looked back. There, a body was lying, blood pooling around his slim figure._

_"SYUUSUKE!"_

He stood up and washed his face on the bathroom to cool his head. He returned and saw something in his window. Uninterested with the things going on around him, I was still grateful that Ryoma took the box I left. He opened it and read the small note that went along with an hourglass.

"Save him and win against your fate…that is, if you can."

Ryoma thought for awhile. He looked confused. "Funny," he snorted. And set the box at the table near the window. "Save him? Win against fate? Are you messing with me?" he asked to no one in particular, he was alone in the room after all. He returned to the bed and curled under the sheet. Not long later though, he stood up. His eyes were lit up with a very small fire…probably a small hope.

He sat beside the table and examined the small hourglass in between of his index and thumb. "Syuusuke," he muttered and closed his eyes tightly. Upon opening his eyes, he inverted the hourglass and put it on the table. It had started.

Ryoma went to school that day, not really paying attention to his surroundings. Everything seemed normal. Life must go on. Until he went to the club room.

"Ochibi!" Eiji planned to glomp Ryoma but the younger boy swiftly avoided him and changed to his tennis uniform. "How mean!"

Familiarity struck. As if on cue, Ryoma started to take note of his surroundings. A scene he was sure he had seen before. Thinking what happened that day, he followed accordingly.

Ryoma glared at Eiji, remembering that it was what he did that day. Eiji felt like shrinking until Fuji arrived. "Fujiko-chan! Ochibi is scary today!"

"What did you say?" Echizen whispered, his eyes unbelieving.

Fuji looked at Ryoma. "Ryoma."

Ryoma really couldn't believe it. There Fuji was, standing in front of him.

_"Stop it, Fuji. Leave me alone."_

Ryoma shook his head. He would not do that. "Syuusuke." He trembled.

"Are you alright?" Fuji noticed the tears from Ryoma's eyes and now he felt guiltier than ever. He approached him. "I'm sorry! Really I'm sorry! There was nothing between Yukimura and I!"

Ryoma nodded frantically and held Fuji close to him. He embraced him ever so tightly. He pulled away and cupped Fuji's face in his trembling hands. "Syuusuke! You are here. You are real."

"What are you talking about Ryoma? Of course it's me. What happened exactly?"

Ryoma shook his head. "I am sorry!"

"No. It was my fault. I'm sorry Ryo-baby. It would never happen again, I promise," Fuji said and kissed the younger boy which the latter did not hesitantly responded. Fuji slowly opened his eyes to the other members inside the room. Everyone felt the chill and immediately left the two inside the club room.

Probably Ryoma was wondering now, which was real, and which was dream. He might be thinking that the accident was just a dream and now he has woken up. Or it might be that he just slept again and what was happening now was just a good dream he was having. But no. His eyes bulged out when he finally realized the date. He had gone back to the two days before the accident. He couldn't explain how and why but he was sure of one thing. He would protect Syuusuke, no matter what.

But the night of the accident was inevitable to come. It was bound to happen. Just like _that_ day, they were dismissed late because of the harsh training. Ryoma wished, though, that he could just ask Fuji to stay in the house but he knew Fuji would think of it weirdly and would continue to torture him until he tells the reason why so Ryoma decided to just let happen what happened except for the accident, of course.

They finally reached the side of the road when the lights turned red. They halted and stood side by side, hand in hand. This time, Ryoma would not break up with Fuji. This time, he would not turn his back on him. This time, he would not leave him, he would walk away and left Fuji chase him. This time, he would not let Fuji die.

Ryoma reached something out of his pocket. A necklace with a tennis ball as a pendant. Without further notice, he reached up and put the necklace around Fuji's neck. He promised to himself, this time would be different and he would make that difference.

"Ryoma, this is…"

"Happy anniversary! I love you!" Ryoma smiled. Right, that was what he should say that time and not about break up or sorry.

Fuji smirked. "You think you're the only who had gotten something?"

Ryoma raised a brow. "Oh?"

Fuji reached something in his pocket too when the lace of the necklace snapped and the tennis ball rolled to the road. Ryoma felt the uneasiness. His stomach churned painfully. And he couldn't stop the shaking of his hands.

Fuji stopped what he was doing and looked up first to the lights. It finally turned green. Smiling to himself, he went to the tennis ball pendant.

"No," Ryoma whispered but felt himself frozen on his spot.

Reaching down, Fuji got a hold of the pendant.

"Stop," Ryoma whispered once again.

"I got it, Ryoma!" Fuji smiled at him, as he stood in the middle of the road.

I knew it. It would not work. One can go against fate, but winning against it? Unlikely possible. Now I am to watch it, the second time. Fuji was destined to die, tonight. No more, no less. What was fated to happen will happen. And I couldn't do anything against it, again. They said that I'm powerful, but at these instances, I am completely useless.

I saw the car approaching, fast and furious. Scary. It was nearing Fuji's body.

"Syuusuke!" Ryoma shouted.

There was a screech, the wheels fought against the road as the driver pulled the break but he couldn't make it.

"BAM!"

The last sand in the hourglass fell. Time is up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Happy Valentine's Day! ^_^


	3. Chapter 3

**Title**: Inverted Hourglass

**Author**: iyris

**Fandom**: Prince of Tennis

**Pairing**: Fuji Syuusuke/Echizen Ryoma

**Rating**: PG**  
><strong>

**Disclaimer**: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. Several parts of plot also not mine.

**Synopsis:** Fuji called but he did not turn back, he kept on walking away from him. Little did he know, though, that it would be the last time he would hear Fuji calling him because the moment he finally looked back, Fuji was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Inverted Hourglass<strong>

**Chapter 03**

* * *

><p>"Fuji-kun?"<p>

Fuji sat still, staring blankly outside the room, watching the leaves the falling from the trees.

"Fuji-kun?" the teacher called again but he did not hear it. "Fuji?"

Eiji decided to poke his friend now. Fuji turned only to find his friend's worried look.

"Sensei has been calling you for more than three times now," said Eiji.

"Ah." Fuji faced the teacher. "Sorry about that sensei."

"Are you alright, Fuji-kun?"

"Aa…" Fuji nodded.

The teacher sighed. He knew exactly that even though Fuji looked fine, the emptiness of his eyes was undeniable. "Go and wash your face for now," the teacher ordered which Fuji obliged.

"Will he be alright?" the teacher openly asked once Fuji had left the room.

"Hopefully," some of his classmates whispered. "Echizen's death must be a shock to him."

"Fujiko-chan…" Eiji muttered.

* * *

><p>Fuji acted like the same in front of everyone. If they didn't know about Echizen's death two weeks ago, Fuji's acquaintances <em>would<em> not even notice and the regulars or his close friends _might_ not even notice. Fuji still smiles, does pranks once in awhile, and his sadistic side has not fade a bit. But there were times that he would suddenly space out and would not notice what was happening around him. There were times that he would look like just a body without soul.

"What should we do?" Eiji asked his other teammates one afternoon. "Fuji can't keep on going like that."

"I'm worried," Oishi said.

The others looked down.

"Echizen…what should we do?"

* * *

><p>Fuji stood in front of the grave, unmoving still, frozen in his place. He just stared and did nothing more.<p>

Rinko stood not so far away, watching the young lad. Fuji must be tired, he had been standing there for almost three hours now. Finally, she sighed and looked at the box she was holding. She was curious as to what Fuji would like be when left alone in front of the grave of her son but she didn't discover anything since the brunet just stood. She walked towards him and tapped his shouder.

"Aren't you tired yet?" Rinko asked.

"Ah?" Fuji did not even feel when a hand landed on him. He just knew the other's presence when she talked. Seriously, Fuji was not like him at all. "Rinko-san."

The woman smiled tenderly. Her hand reaching up to wipe the silent tears of Fuji. "Don't blame yourself, Syuusuke-kun. It was not your fault. It was Ryoma's choice."

Fuji nodded. Yeah, it was not really his fault when Ryoma suddenly pushed him out of the way and took his place. But of course he would feel guilty, he has a conscience and being guilty is a normal thing. Especially to humans.

"You would do the same if you were in Ryoma's place, right?"

Fuji did not answer. His silence was enough. I bet he would do the same. That's how they love each other, willing to die for the other.

"Here." Ryoma's mother gave the small wooden box to Fuji.

"This is?"

"Those are some of Ryoma's treasured belongings. Since you are his boyfriend, I thought that you deserve to have his things."

"Thank you very much."

Rinko lightly shook her head with a gentle smile to Fuji. "Take care of them."

* * *

><p>Reaching home, Fuji opened the box to find only few things that were mostly about them. Fuji's gift on his birthday, some pictures of them together. And another smaller box. Carefully, he opened it. An hourglass with a note.<p>

_"Save him and win against your fate…that is, if you can."_

He was curious at first. Why would Ryoma have such thing? He knew well that the boy was not time conscious. Ryoma even hated his alarm clock for waking him up early every morning. So what's the use of a time measurer, and addition to that, even an hourglass. Something Fuji could not easily imagine Ryoma can have. And what was the note?

"Fate," he uttered.

Fuji scrutinized the hourglass. I was not sure anymore what was he thinking by the moment but then slowly, he inverted the hourglass once more.

I smiled to myself, knowing what was to come. The _time_ has started again.

* * *

><p>Just like the previous days, Fuji was spacing out again as he made his way to the tennis courts. He wasn't sure why Eiji was so loud from the inside but sure he could not really make sense of what Eiji was talking about.<p>

"Ochibi! How mean!"

Was Eiji messing up with him? Quietly he entered and there, someone with Ryoma's hair, Ryoma's figure, Ryoma's tanned skin, Ryoma's cap, was standing in front of Ryoma's locker.

"Fujiko-chan! Ochibi is scary today!"

"What did you say?" Echizen whispered and turned around, his eyes unbelieving.

Fuji couldn't notice Eiji now. He did not even notice how things were actually so familiar that it looked like he was on a replay. Not when someone so familiar was standing in front of him and all his focus was just for him."Ryoma."

"Syuusuke." Ryoma trembled.

It indeed was him. He approached him, touched his face carefully, afraid that what he was seeing was just an illusion, but it was real. Everything was real.

"This is not a dream," Fuji said, almost to himself. Ryoma shook his head.

Fuji embraced him, so tight and Ryoma did not complain about that. Instead he gave it back, as tight as possible. Then they were sealed with a kiss, an intense and passionate one that it seemed like there would be no tomorrow. There was no need for words. They were together and it was all they needed.

The other members couldn't move. They could not even make a sound. They were frozen with their eyes wide and jaws dropped. I mean, who would not be surprised when the couple you knew was just fighting the past few days, when they saw each other, suddenly hugged and started to do a hot and melting kiss. Disregarding each and everyone of them.

Finally, Tezuka found his throat and cleared it. "Fuji, Echizen, 50 laps!"

* * *

><p>I laughed, laughed my heart out. I was happy. Well, since they both what would happen on that day, they might as well stay on the road side forever.<p>

"Contented?" Death sat beside me.

I smiled. "Yeah. They proved me how powerful their love can be."

"They even won against me." Yukimura frowned and I raised a brow on that.

He immediately smiled. "But I am happy for them."

"I know."

And yeah, who am I? Haven't I introduced myself yet? I am consistent, never stopping and continuously moving forward. I may live a thousand years but I never grow old. I stay as it is. I witness everything. Whatever you do, I am there. I can be your greatest advantage but at the same time the harshest enemy. I can be crueler than Death and harsher than Fate.

"I am…"

The hand of the clock started to tick again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Overused plot? It was used on Philippine telenovela 'Chances', movie 'If Only', and even in the MV of Korean singer Hongki. And probably the plot was used on other stories and fanfictions too. Yeah, I know. I am sorry about that. Just that it was my favorite plot and wanted to try using it on my POT fave pair. Trying won't kill me anyway.

Have some thoughts? You might want to leave them as a review. Just no flames, you might as well PM me if they will burn. Thank you!


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